Cotton Planters, Hi-ppo-es

7" x 7"

Vintage paper and photos from the early 1900's

Title: Cotton Planters, Hi-ppo-es

This thought-provoking mixed-media collage juxtaposes historical formality with surreal contemporary intervention. The core image is a stunning, dark-toned antique photograph featuring two formally dressed women, one seated and holding a bouquet. The surrounding collage is dense with historical context, including a vertical strip of text referencing the "Cotton Planters Loan Association" and a handwritten name, grounding the piece in a specific period and location.

The subject on the right has a small, yet powerful, abstract intervention across her face using cyan and magenta paint. The surreal elements are introduced by two dark, found plastic figures—likely hippopotamuses—that flank the bottom of the portrait, crossing the barrier between the past and the present. This combination creates a rich narrative that questions historical accuracy, social structures, and the persistence of memory.

This work is an excellent conversation piece for collectors interested in the dark humor of surrealism and the re-examination of historical photography.

• Medium: Mixed-Media Collage (Antique Photograph, Ephemera/Text, Found Plastic Objects, Acrylic Paint)

• Themes: Historical Context, Surrealism, Found Objects, Social Structures

• Key Visuals: Two Formal Women, Cotton Planters Text, Two Hippopotamus Figures